Freshman Orientation

We are thrilled to welcome you to our Toro family and through our mandatory New Student Orientation (NSO), we hope you come to realize that being a Toro extends far beyond the time you spend on campus but throughout your career. Freshmen orientation is a time where you will get to meet your peers, interact with staff and faculty and most importantly begin your transition from high school to University. We know from past experience that students who engage in NSO are more successful because they are knowledgeable in the support services we provide. During NSO you will not only register for courses but learn about our Early Start summer school. Please make sure you read the following information so that you have a strong start as you embark on your journey at CSUDH.

Who Can Attend?

New Student Orientation is only open to conditionally admitted students who have submitted their intent to enroll and paid the $125 deposit by the May 1st deadline. Students who do not meet admission requirements and deadlines are not eligible to attend NSO. Students who are waitlisted are also ineligible to attend NSO.

Students will only receive full admission once final transcripts are received and verified by the admissions office. Final transcript deadline is July 15, 2019. Verified transcripts must have your graduation date conferred as well as meeting all admission requirements. There may be instances where a student attends NSO and then the admissions status changes.

Guests are not permitted to attend the student NSO program, unless approved by the NSO committee prior to the event. To be approved, students must provide documentation showing serious and compelling reasons that a guest is needed. Reasons include, but are not limited to, disability accommodations. If you have a disability and require accommodation for the NSO event, please email orientation@csudh.edu at least 10 days prior to the scheduled NSO date to discuss your accommodation request. Other guests may sign up for the Parent/Guardian Program.

Parent/Guardian Program

Freshmen NSO offers a parent/guardian program that is separate from the student program. This program is designed to present parents and guardians specific information about the opportunities that are available to CSUDH students. There will be presentations from different campus departments and discussions on Early Start, Dominguez Hills First Year Experience, Financial Aid, Student Records and Privacy and more. Participants will also have the opportunity to work with current students and Outreach and School Relations staff throughout the program to ensure all questions are answered so that you are as confident having your child attend CSUDH as the student. Participants may choose from an English or Spanish program on the day of NSO.

There is a $30 per guest fee to attend the program. Registration for the Parent/Guardian program information will be sent out once a student successfully registers for NSO.

What Do I Have To Do Before I Attend?

You will need to meet a number of requirements before you can register for Freshmen New Student Orientation (NSO):

Activate your my.CSUDH.edu account. Your login information was included in your acknowledgement letter. If you are having difficulties activating your account please contact the IT Help Desk at 310-243-2500.

Activate your ToroMail and check it regularly so you do not miss important information that may be sent to you.

Make sure you have met all your other deadlines such as Financial Aid and Admissions. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is due March 2 and supporting documents by May 10. Although submitting a FAFSA application is not required to attend NSO, students interested in applying for financial aid should do so well before NSO in case there are issues or documentation that is required. You will be able to speak with a Financial Aid representative during NSO.

Submit your Intent to Enroll and your $125 deposit that will be applied toward your tuition by May 1, 2019.

What Will NSO Cover?

NSO stands for New Student Orientation and it is CSUDH’s program that helps students transition academically and socially from high school to University. At NSO, you will receive:

Hands-on help with online registration for summer and fall courses

Academic advising to ensure you are picking the right classes to graduate

Useful financial aid information and how to choose and accept awards

Introduction to student life, activities, events and support services on campus

An opportunity to meet other freshmen who are within your major and college

A CSUDH student I.D. (Please make sure you bring a photo ID when you attend NSO so that you may receive your ID)

Detailed information on how to jump-start your course work and begin earning units through our Early Start summer program.

What Should I Expect?

NSO is a mandatory enrollment requirement, and students who fail to attend NSO will not be allowed to register for their academic term. Besides attendance, please keep these other factors in mind.

NSO is a full day event and students are expected to check-in on time and stay until the end of the day.

Students who arrive late or leave early will be marked as not having attended, and the NSO hold will be put back on your record.

You should wear comfortable clothing as there will be walking, sitting, standing and other activities

Lunch will be provided, however, we do recommend that you bring water and a snack as breakfast and dinner are not provided.

During NSO, admissions, financial aid and other CSUDH offices will be represented, so it is in your best interest to gather any information or documents that are still outstanding and turn them in before the deadline.

If you miss your NSO date, you will need to petition to reschedule your NSO. Petitions are not a guarantee and official documentation as to why you missed your date will need to be provided. Only petitions that show sufficient official documentation as to why you were either medically or legally unable to register for NSO will be considered. It is important to not miss your registered NSO date.

When is Orientation?

Freshmen NSO sessions are scheduled in June by college so that students complete NSO in time to attend Early Start summer programs. Students may select the date that works best for them, on a first-come, first serve basis. Seating is limited and the dates listed below may not be available if you wait too long to register. Registration closes MAY 1st, so we encourage you to register as soon as you receive the NSO invitation.

Please be aware that summer travel plans are not considered as a reason to miss NSO. We highly recommend not making summer travel plans until after you attend NSO as some students will be required to enroll in Early Start summer school.

College of Arts & Humanities

Saturday, June 08, 2019

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Saturday, June 15, 2019

Friday, June 21, 2019

College of Education

Saturday, June 08, 2019

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Saturday, June 15, 2019

Friday, June 21, 2019

College of Business Administration & Public Policy

Friday, June 07, 2019

Saturday, June 08, 2019

Friday, June 14, 2019

Saturday, June 15, 2019

College of Natural & Behavioral Sciences

Saturday, June 08, 2019

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Saturday, June 15, 2019

Friday, June 21, 2019

College of Health, Human Services & Nursing

Friday, June 07, 2019

Saturday, June 08, 2019

Friday, June 14, 2019

Saturday, June 15, 2019

Undeclared Majors

Friday, June 07, 2019

Saturday, June 08, 2019

Friday, June 14, 2019

Saturday, June 15, 2019

How Much Does NSO Cost?

The fee for New Student Orientation is $99. All Orientation fees are non-refundable even if your admission status changes after you have participated in NSO. NSO fees will cover all services and materials provided during the entire event. Items provided include NSO Student Handbook, CSUDH gear and lunch.

I Missed NSO Registration/I Missed My Scheduled NSO

NSO is a mandatory enrollment requirement for all incoming students (freshmen, transfer, returning). Students who missed the deadline to register for NSO, or students who do not attend NSO, are not eligible to enroll for the academic term in which they applied. Petitions are a request for consideration, and will be reviewed by a committee and not guaranteed for approval. Petitions regarding missed NSO registration date will be considered only if there is sufficient documentation showing why the student was medically or legally unable to register by the May 1, 2019 deadline. Petitions requesting a date change will need to include the date you would prefer to change to, but is not guaranteed. NSO date changes will depend on availability of that NSO at the time the petition is received.

Freshmen petition deadline: Monday, June 17, 2019 Petitions received after the deadline will not be considered. To have your petition considered, make sure you include:

All official supporting documentation including medical/legal paperwork

Petitions without the necessary paperwork will not be considered. To download a copy of the NSO Petition Request form please click here.

Once you have submitted your NSO petition, you will receive the decision through your TORO email account within 5 business days. Please check back to avoid missing your NSO date if it is approved. This petition is for New Student Orientation only and is NOT an Admissions Appeal or an Early Start Petition.